If Pakistan cares about Kashmir, they must stop instigating our youth: Mehbooba Mufti

If Pakistan cares about Kashmir, they must stop instigating our youth: Mehbooba Mufti

Training her guns on Pakistan once again and holding them responsible for instigating the youth in violence-hit Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asserted that if Islamabad is really concerned about the situation in the Valley, then it will try to help in fixing the crisis rather than fanning the flames.

Training her guns on Pakistan once again and holding them responsible for instigating the youth in violence-hit Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asserted that if Islamabad is really concerned about the situation in the Valley, then it will try to help in fixing the crisis rather than fanning the flames.

Addressing the media here after her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7 RCR residence, Mufti asserted that he was extremely concerned about the situation and that he had expressed his desire to stop the bloodshed in the Valley and also ensured that the state will emerge from the crisis.

“The Prime Minister is quite concerned just the way we are regarding the situation in Kashmir. He re-iterated that the basis of the PDP-BJP alliance is to continue the trend of reconciliation with Pakistan that Vajpayee ji had started and use it to solve the problem in Kashmir,” she said.

Lauding Prime Minister Modi’s approach towards Pakistan, Mufti stated that he had not only invited Nawaz Sharif for his oath taking ceremony but went to Lahore himself, but the Pathankot incident happened and ties between the two nations went downhill.

“With the situation in Kashmir taking a turn for the worse in the last few days, Pakistan instead of helping us is trying to worsen the situation.

They had a golden opportunity to talk about Kashmir when Rajnath ji went to Islamabad recently, but instead he was meted with mistreatment,” she said.

Calling out Pakistan, she added that if they have any sympathy for the people of Kashmir, then they will stop provoking the youth into attacking security forces by saying that it will solve the unrest in the Valley.

Invoking former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mufti stated that during his regime, talks with Pakistan and the Hurriyat were a common affair because of which, the situation in Kashmir was somewhat neutralised.

“You can only talk with those who want to talk. Those who are inciting the youth don’t want peace, they want bloodshed. Our democracy is large enough to encompass the dreams of Kashmiris. This matter can be solved,” she added.

Appearing to be visibly moved when talking about the rising death toll in the Valley, which mostly comprises of youths and minors, Mufti said that the very kids who had supported her during her campaign days, were now being used against her.

“Give me a chance to solve your problems”, she said in an emphatic message to the people of Kashmir, “It’s not even been two months since my government came into and such a situation happened.”

Defending the curfew which has now entered its 50th day, the Chief Minister said that the purpose of imposing restrictions was to save the lives of the locals and the children. She further asserted that the Separatists must come forwards and help the state government in figuring out a solution to the Kashmir unrest.

Talking about the all party delegation which is to head to Kashmir to discuss the unrest, she said that developments on the meeting will begin in almost a week’s time.

Meanwhile, the situation in the Valley continued to be grim as a police constable was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama District today.

The police constable, Khurshid Ahmed, was killed outside his house in Koil village at around 3:00 a.m. As per reports, he was leaving his home for duties when the militants shot him from a close range.

Normal life in Kashmir Valley remained paralysed as curfew and shutdown continued for the 50th consecutive day today in the wake of violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani last month.

All educational institutions, shops, public transport and other businesses are closed since July 9. Earlier, authorities arrested several top separatist leaders and extended curfew to large parts of the Valley to foil a separatists’ march in Srinagar.

The death toll in the valley reached 67 on Friday, as another youth succumbed to his injuries in clashes that broke out between security forces and the locals in Pulwama district.